The CNMI provided approximately 95,216 square miles of submerged land and ocean water above them for conservation. This sizeable amount of ocean and masses of land includes the Marianas Trench, the islands of Farallon de Pajaros, Maug and Asuncion were designated by former President George W. Bush as conservation areas; and created the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. The people of the CNMI were made to believe during the deliberation to designate the preservation that the visitor center would be built in the CNMI. Therefore, it is proper and appropriate to establish the Monument for visitors and research center in the CNMI and not Guam. Guam did not contribute much on the amount of ocean pr land to the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.
Madame Chairwoman Bordallo, please try not to stir bad spells and unwelcome relationship between the people of the CNMI and Guam. We are in the stage of forgetting the bad relationship between the people of the CNMI and Guam for bad experiences during the past decades and now we are in the process of building a better relationship. The people of the NMI voted overwhelmingly to reunite with Guam but the people of Guam voted against reunification with the NMI because Guam felt that the NMI would be a financial burden to Guam because the NMI economy was very bad at that time. Thank God that we did not join with Guam because the people of the CNMI will be getting LEFTOVERS from Guam.
Please reconsider your position and recall H.R. 4493. There is no need to debate your bill because it will create animosity between the people of the CNMI and Guam.
Thank you for working together with our Delegate Gregorio Sablan in harmony for benefit of the people of Mariana Islands.
JUAN M. SABLAN
As Teo, Saipan
